Cable channel names are completely irrelevent (1 Viewer)

[Shane Gralaw]

Since when did the Comedy channel become the Game Show network? Battlebots is not comedy. Shouldn't this be on Sci-fi or something? Now this "Beat The Geeks" thing in addition to "Let's Bowl" (sports, not comedy) and "Win Ben Stein's Money".

And what about TNN showing Star Trek?

The Learning Channel showing police video shows?

I blame MTV for this trend- they totally forgot their name in the late 80's and haven't really been a music television channel since.

 

[MikeAW]

Shane,

It's called scraping the barrel for program ideas, that well, just aren't totally what the channels all about, but are "borrowed" from the aspect of getting the audience.

Eventually, cable channels will reach a "ceiling" and be so targeted in their programming focus, as to present re-runs of just one popular program...endlessly, 24/7...for your viewing enjoyment!

Think about it. The Lucy Channel. The Star Trek Channel. The Simpsons Channel. The Seinfeld Channel. The Dick Van Dyke Channel.

Frankly, I would prefer just this, to trolling through all of the fill material that passes for entertainment these days.

Would you ?

 

[Jodee]

I was just thinking the other day how ironic it is that John Edwards "Crossing Over" is on the Sci-Fi channel.

It sort of screams out, hey this is FICTION.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

TNN is no longer "the nashville network" but has changed to general format "The National Network".

Oddly, I saw the grunge-rock documentary HYPE! on oxygen the other day. This is perfect for Mtv or VH1, but neither showed it- and I don't know what it has to do with "women's tv"- or really was "women's tv" is.

-Vince

 

[Richard Kim]

Yeah, the Sci-Fi Channel frequently shows fantasy and horror shows and movies that wouldn't really be considered "sci-fi", for example, I would not classify the Indiana Jones films as "sci-fi."

 

[Jack Briggs]

Still, the most egregious example of misappropriate naming goes to The Learning Channel, IMO. There is very little in the way of thoughtful scientific or educational programming. And what "science programs" it does show tend to be trashy in the way the old OMNI magazine was.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The Sci-Fi channel was always supposed to be Sci-Fi, fantasy, and horror. It's just that the Sci-Fi-Fantasy-Horror Channel was too long

 

[MikeAW]

It's interesting that lately all of the cable networks seem in search to skew their programming to find these mindless and soulless, youth market that likes Buffy, Ally McBeal, X Files, all of those WB soap operas, etc. !

Don't they understand that their prospective audience is NOT watching Tv, and all they are getting are the younger audience that thinks the older audience thinks these programs are cool ?

Oh well...guess I'm just an old fart who loves Nick at Nite, Tv Land and other old sitcoms !

 

[Dick]

AMC has become completely irrelevant to me since adding commercial interrupions and a permanent logo bug.

 

[JasenP]

On the other hand, "SoapNet" is right on!!
I am lucky enough that my cable company now offers TCM and AMC is damn near getting kicked off my Tivo list!!

 

[MikeAW]

Dear Dick,

With AMC, it's like everything else...they have these "hip here and now" hosts who weren't even born when the films they host were made, a large amount of snazzy graphics, commercials, irrelevant "classic films" choices, etc., just pandering to the lowest common denominator audience profile to whom "Classic Films" mean nothing" and shilling for new sidelines and Cablevision ventures, like "television networks"...the We Network, what's that ? I was very happy with dull old, Bob Dorian...as dry as he was...but when they got that Clooney guy...who was horrible...it was a signal that things started to go downhill, BIGTIME!

What happens is they go beyond the point of diminishing returns and really program and alienate EVERYONE!

Something on the upside, is a preview of what eventually become DVD "special features", like the "Behind the Planet of the Apes" thingy and the "Behind the Scenes" specials on special effects that are really interesting.

But it's a big price to pay in the long run!

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Since when did the Comedy channel become the Game Show network? Battlebots is not comedy. Shouldn't this be on Sci-fi or something? Now this "Beat The Geeks" thing in addition to "Let's Bowl" (sports, not comedy) and "Win Ben Stein's Money".

Actually, Battlebots before it hit Comedy Central (when it was on Pay Per View) was ment to be taken seriously. Once it hit Comedy Central, Comedy Central basically insults it as the people who build these bots have nothing better to do with their times. :frowning:
Now Beat The Geeks, Let's Bowl, and Win Ben Stein's Money might all be game shows, but they all have a comedy aspect added into them (sadly, even with the comedy added into them, Let's Bowl is still a piece of crap).

 

[Grant B]

Channels that live up to their billing
History Channel & History Channel International
Cartoon Network
ESPN
The Learning Channel (TLC)
and I guess the Playboy Channel and the likes (they might have the History of Smut or something
)

 

[Craig_T]

How long before The Weather Channel starts showing Twister and The Perfect Storm on weekends?

 

[Sarah S]

Why not? The History Channel already has their own drama (Black Sheep Squadren) & shows WWII films on the weekends.